Circuit controlling device



Feb. 8, 1938. E. 1.. BARRETT 2,107,843

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVI CE Filed Nov. 14, 1936 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE corporation of Illinois Application November 14, 1936, Serial No. 110,875

12 Claims.

The invention relates to electric circuit controlling devices and more particularly to such devices commonly designated as electromagnetic.

relays.

A general object of the invention is to provide a new.and improved device of this type which is not only especially compact and small in its over-all dimensions but also made up of only a few component parts, each of which may be manu- 10 factured very cheaply in large quantities, these advantages being had, however, without any sacrifice in sensitivity or effectiveness of operation of the finished device.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide 15 such a device in which a major portion of the component parts may be formed from sheet metal by simple stamping operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which permits of O sufficiently large tolerances in the outline dimensions of its component parts so that they may be .fashioned by stamping operations without subsequent machining and without adversely affecting the sensitivity of the completed device, 0 and in which uniform operating characteristics may be had for a large number of devices made by quantity production methods.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the specification.

For a better understanding of the invention, 5 reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a relay unit embodying the invention, the enclosing casing and mounting for the relay being indicated in 4Q dot-dash lines. v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the relay shown in Fig. 1. 7

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the relay shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

45 For purposes of illustration, the invention has been shown as embodied in a small compact relay adapted for use in electric control circuits of various sorts. The relay illustrated includes as.

its principal elements a frame designated gener- 50 ally by the numeral carrying an electromagnetic energizing winding I l and a movable armature II. The armature serves to effect relative movement between a pair of cooperating contacts l3 and in response to energization of the 55 actuating winding ll.

(Cl. ZOO-87) The frame is preferably a one piece structure which includes a part forming a magnetizable core forthe actuating winding II, as well as a part forming a support for the armature l2. In the preferred construction illustrated, the frame 5 I0 is generally F-shaped in form, thus including a c-shaped portion for the relay proper and an upright supporting leg l5. The C-shaped portion of the frame is made up of a central or upright leg l6 having laterally extending legs l1 l0 and I8 projecting in spaced relation from its opposite ends. Such a frame may be readily formed by stamping the same from light metal stock having a relatively high magnetic permeability. Soft sheet iron having a high magnetic permeability and low retentivity, is suitable for this purpose. The generally fiat contour of the frame l0 adds materially to its simplicity of manufacture.

The electromagnetic energizing winding II is preferably wound in place rather than being preformed. In the construction illustrated, a pair of coil retaining end members [9 and fashioned by stamping from insulating sheet material are disposed in spaced relation on the central leg l6 of the frame Ill. Suitable centrally located apertures 2| and 22 are formed in the coil end members l9 and 2 0, respectively, these apertures being of sufficient size that the end members may be slipped over the frame leg I! and onto the central frame leg Hi. When in position on the central leg IS, the end member 20 abuts against the lateral leg I8 and a shoulder 23 formed. in the frame while the opposite end member l9 abuts against the second laterally extending leg l1.

An improved and simplified contact supporting arrangement is preferably utilized to prevent skewing of the coil and member l9. This arrangement includes a fiat stamped piece of insulating material 24, such as fabric reenforced Bakelite, which may be secured to the frame [0 in face-to-face relation therewith by rivets 25 passing through alined apertures 26 and 21 in the piece of insulating material and frame. In assembling the relay illustrated, the coil end members l9 and 20 are first slipped on the frame and then the piece of insulating material 24 is riveted in place. The member 24 projects laterally from the frame forming in effect a shoulder corresponding to the shoulder 23. The coil end members may be held in spaced relation by a piece of kraft paper wound around the frame leg I6 between them. The coil II is then formed by winding fine insulated wire about the frame between the coil end members. In performing this winding operation, the projecting end l5 of the frame l0 may be readily secured in the chuck ofan automatic winding machine.

The elongated rigid armature I 2 preferably has a free floating pivotal mounting so that the relay will have a high degree of sensitivity. In general, the armature I2 is disposed substantially in the plane of the frame In and extends between the laterally projecting arms I! and I9. In order to simplify its construction, the armature [2 may also be fashioned as a stamping from light gauge sheet metal stock having a high magnetic permeability and low retentivity such as soft iron. Upon reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the armature illustrated is generally flat in shape and has an enlarged lower end 28 provided with outwardly extending ears 29. The ears or projections 29 are interfitted with complementally formed projections on the frame to provide a loose pivotal mounting. To this end, an L-shaped stamped sheet metal member 30 is secured to the frame arm l8 by a rivet 3| passing through registering apertures 32 and 33. A corresponding enlarged aperture 34 is formed in the armature l2 so that the head of the rivet will not interfere with the movement of the armature. Laterally extending ears or projections 35 on the member 30 overlie the ears 29 on the armature l2, thus preventing upward movement thereof. The opposite or free end of the armature l2 overlies the frame arm) IT. Consequently, when the winding II is energized, the frame arm I1 will be magnetized and attract the adjacent end of the armature.

Resilient means is provided for yieldably biasing the armature I2 against movement toward the magnetizable frame arm l1. Thus, an elongated helical tension spring 36 extends between the armature and the frame. One end of the spring is secured to the armature by a book 31 struck up from the side-thereof and the opposite end of the spring is secured to an ear'39 on the L-shaped member 30. The hook 31 projects a substantial distance above the armature so that the spring tension will be applied with a good leverage. It has been found that much more uniform operation will be had for relays of the type described produced in large quantities when a spring is used having a comparatively large number of turns. The spring 36 illustrated has approximately forty turns. When a spring having turns of this general order of magnitude is used, the over-all strength of the spring will be about the same even though the strength of one or two of the individual turns may vary somewhat due to slight inaccuracies in the manufacturing operations performed thereon. Also when the spring is stretched during operation the distortion of each individual turn is minimized because of the distribution of the stretching throughout a large number of turns. Upon reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the spring 36 is arranged at an acute angle with respect to the armature I2. The elongation of the armature 12 makes it possible to utilize a long spring without the necessity of providing a separate securing member for its outer end.

A fixed stop limits the oscillatory path of movement of the armature l2. This stop is preferably disposed out of contact with the armature except at the outer extremity of its path of movement so that the sensitivity of therelay will not be affected by friction between the stop and the armature. In the construction illustrated, a

headed non-magnetic screw 39 constitutes a convenient method of providing such a stop. This screw is threaded in a tapped hole 40 formed in the frame arm I! and passes through an aperture 4| in the armature I2. An eyelet 4| made of brass orothernon-magnetic material is inserted in the hole H. The inner flange on the eyelet prevents direct contact between the armature and frame so that the armature will not be retained in closed position by residual magnetism. The inside diameter of the eyelet 4| is substantially larger than that of the shank of the screw 39. In assembling the relay at the point of manufacture, the screw 39 is adjusted until the spacing. between the contacts I3 and I4 is set at a desired amount. The screw 39 may be rigidly fixed in this position by a drop of solder 42 (Fig. 2) on its inner end.

As was previously noted, a very simple contact supporting structure is herein contemplated. The contact insulator 24 may be readily formed by stamping, or some similar operation, from a sheet of insulating material and the use of the usual screw-machine made insulating parts is obviated. The contacts l3 and I4 are preferably made of silver and are generally cylindrical in shape. The relatively fixed contact I4 is secured to the outer end of an electrically conductive metal spring finger 43 made of phosphor bronze or the like. This spring finger is fastened to the piece of insulation 24 by suitable rivets passing through registering holes 44 and 45 while the projecting outer end 46 of the spring finger constitutes a terminal lug. The movable contact i3 is secured to the outer end of the armature l2 and for this purpose, has a shank portion which is inserted in a registering hole 41 formed in the free end of the armature, the outer end of the contact point shank being peened over the adjacent edges of the-hole. The spring finger 24 is sufiiciently distortable to permit adjustment of the contact spacing.

The relay described is preferably provided with a plug-type mounting in order to facilitate its insertion and removal in associated apparatus. The mounting plug shown in Fig. 1 includes an insulating disk 48 having conductive metal prongs 49 projecting from its lower side and adapted to be received in a complemental plug receptacle. A laterally extending ear 50 projects from the lower end l5 of the relay frame l0 and one of the prongs 49 projects through an aperture 5| therein. The relay is thus rigidly secured in position on the plug insulating disk 48. A cylindrical cup-shaped casing 52 surrounds the relay when thus mounted.

In case the relay is to be used in the proximity of radio apparatus, the casing may be made of metal in order to shield the radio apparatus from radio frequency oscillation set up by the action of the contacts l3 and H.

In the operation of the device described above, current is supplied at will from a control circuit to the actuating winding II through conductors 53 and 54 which arerespectively connected to two of the plug prongs 49. One terminal of the circuit to be controlled is connected to the fixed contact l4 through one of the plug prongs 49, conductor 55, and mounting finger 43. The other terminal of the controlled circuit is connected to the movable contact l3 through one of the plug prongs 49 which is secured to the relay frame, a pig-tail connection 55 and armature I 2. When the actuating winding l I is energized, a magnetic field is set up thereby in the frame Ill, thus atiii) tracting the armature l2 and causing the contacts is and is to be closed. As soon as the actuating winding ii is deenergized, the armature is again moved to its open position by the biasing spring 36.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a circuit controlling device has been provided which is extremely compact and small inits overall dimensions and which can be cheaply manufactured. The minimization of the cost of manufacture is, in a large part, due to the fact that a major number of the component parts can "be formed by simple stamping operation and in addition, the design is such that fine machining andcareful adjustment of parts is not required. Al-

though a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in some detail for purposes of illustration, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention 'to such embodiment but, on the other hand, the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a flat frame fashioned from a single piece of sheet metal and having a generally 6- shaped portion including a central leg with 1aterally extending legs projecting from opposite ends thereof, an electromagnetic energizing windingdisposed about said central leg, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including an elongated rigid armature member' disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative movement of said contacts in response to energization. of said winding, and

means for pivotally supporting one end of said armature onone of said laterally extending legs and with the other end thereof overlying the secnd laterally extending frame leg.

2. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a flat frame fashioned from a single piece of sheet metal and-having a generally 6- shaped portion including a central leg with laterally extending legs projecting from opposite ends thereof, an electromagnetic energizing winding disposed about said central leg, a flat piece of insulating material secured to said frame in face-to-face relation therewith and projecting therefrom, a contact carried by the projecting portion of said piece of insulating material, a second contact cooperating with said,flrst-named contact, an electromagnetic energizing winding disposed about said central. frame leg, means including an elongated rigid armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative movement of said second contact in response to energization of said winding, and means for pivotally'supporting one end of said armature on one of said laterally extending legs and with the other end thereof overlying the second laterally extending frame leg.

3. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a flat frame fashioned from a sin- -gle piece of sheet metal and having a generally C-shaped portion including a central leg with. laterally extending legs projecting from opposite ends thereof, a pair of coil retaining end mernbers disposed in spaced relation on said central frame leg and in abutment with the adjacent laterally extending legs, an energizing coil wound about said center leg between said coil end membars, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including an elongated rigid armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative more- 'piece of sheet metal and having a generally 0- shaped portion including a centralleg with laterally extending legs projecting from opposite ends thereof, a flat sheet material coil retaining end member having an aperture therein adapting the same to be slipped over one of said laterally extending frame legs and positioned on said central leg in abutment with the adjacent laterally extending leg, a flat piece of insulating material secured to said frame in face-to-face relation therewith and in abutment with said coil end member to prevent skewing thereof, a contact carried by a projecting portion of said piece of insulating material, a second contact cooperating with said first-named contact, an energizing coil wound about said central frame leg in abutment with said coil end member, means including an elongated rigid armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effectin relative movement between said contacts in response to energization of said winding, and means for pivotally supporting one end of said armature combination, a flat frame fashioned from a single piece of sheet metal and having a magnetic coreportion with laterally extending legs projecting from opposite ends thereof, a shoulder formed on said frame in alignment with one of said legs and on the opposite side of saidcore portion therefrom, a pair of flat sheet material coil retaining end members having apertures therein adapting the same to be slipped over the other of said legs and disposed in spaced relation on said frame core portion, one of said end members being positioned in abutment with said shoulder and said one laterally extending leg, the other of said end members being ,positioned in abutment with said other leg, a flat piece of insulating material secured to said frame in faceto-face relation therewith and in abutment with said last-named coil end member to prevent skewing thereof, a contact carried by a projecting portion of said piece of insulating material, a second contact cooperating with said firstnamed contact, an energizing coil wound about said frame core portion between said coil end. members, and means including an armature member mounted on said frame for effecting relative movement between said contacts in response to energization of said winding.

ii. An electromagnetic relaycomprising, in combination, a flat frame fashioned from a single piece of sheet metal and having a generally 6- shaped portion including a central leg with laterally extending legs projecting from oppositeends thereof, an electromagnetic energizing winding disposed about said central leg, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including an elongated rigid sheet metal armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative movement between said contacts in response to energization of said winding, and means including interiitting projections on one end of said armature and on one of said laterally extending frame legs for supporting said armature for free floating pivotal movement toward and away from the plane of said frame and with the free end of said armature member overlying the second laterally extending frame leg.

7. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in

combination, a fiat frame fashioned froma single piece of sheet metal and having a generally 6- shaped portion including a central leg with laterally extending legs projecting from opposite ends thereof, an electromagnetic energizingwinding disposed about said central leg, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including an elongated rigid sheet metal armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative movement between said contacts in response to energizetion of said winding, and means including interfitting projections on one end of said armature and on one of said laterally extending frame legs for supporting said armature for free floating pivotal movement toward and away from the plane of said frame and with the free end of said armature member overlying the second laterally extending frame leg, said armature having an aperture therein, and a headed screw threaded in said frame and positioned in said aperture with the shank thereof out of contact with the edges of said aperture for limiting the amplitude of movement of said armature by contact thereof against the head of said screw.

8. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a fiat frame fashioned as a stamping from a single portion of sheet metal having a relatively high magnetic permeability and low retentivity, said frame having a substantially rectangular coil portion and a laterally extending leg projecting from one end of said core portion, an energizing winding disposed about said frame core portion, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including a movably mounted fiat rigid sheet metal armature member disposed substantialiy in the plane of said frame and cooperating with said frame core portion and leg for establishing a closed low reluctance flux path linking said winding, and means including said armature for effecting relative movement between said contacts in response to energization of said winding.

9. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a fiat frame fashioned as a stamping from a single portion of sheet metal having a relatively high ,magnetic permeability and low retentivity, an electromagnetic energizing winding disposed about a portion of said frame, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including a fiat rigid sheet metal armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative movement between said contacts in response to energization of said winding, and means for pivotally supporting said armature on said frame for movement toward and away from the plane of said frame.

10. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a flat frame fashioned as a stamping from a single portion of sheet metal having a relatively high magnetic permeability and low retentivity and including two angularly disposed members lying in the same plane, an energizing winding disposed about a portion of said flat frame forv setting up an electromagnetic field therein, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including a movably mounted fiat rigid sheet metal armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame and cooperating with said angularly disposed frame members for establishing a substantially closed low reluctance flux path linking said winding, and means including said armature for effecting relative movement between said contacts in response to energization of said winding.

ll. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a flat frame fashioned as a stamping from a single piece of sheet metal in a generally F-shaped form, an electromagnetic energizing winding disposed about the upright portion of said frame betweenthe laterally extending arms thereon, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including an elongated rigid armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative movement of said contactsin response to energization of said winding, and means for securing the lower end of the upright portion of said frame to a suitable mounting member.

12. An electromagnetic relay comprising, in combination, a flat frame fashioned as a stamping from a single piece of sheet metal in a generally F-shaped form, an electromagnetic energizing Winding disposed about the upright portion of said frame between the laterally extending arms thereon, a pair of cooperating relatively movable contacts, means including an elongated rigid armature member disposed substantially in the plane of said frame for effecting relative movement of said contacts in response to en ergization of said winding, a mounting plug including an insulating member having electrically conductive prongs projecting therefrom adapted to be detachably received in a complementary plug receptacle, a projection formed on the lower end of said upright frame portion, and means for rigidly securing said projection to said mounting plug.

EDWARD L. BARRETT. 

